


The Real Infinity War

by puppycatkittymuffin



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-23 14:00:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15607827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puppycatkittymuffin/pseuds/puppycatkittymuffin
Summary: When Thanos snapped his fingers and half of the universe, the Avengers included, began fading away they thought all was lost. Peter Parker thought the same until something happened. The question is what, when, where, and most importantly: why?





	1. Chapter One: The Infinity Watch

**Author's Note:**

> \- Probably not at all compliant with the comics and mostly compliant with the movies, I think. I've seen most of the movies, including Ant-Man and the Wasp which was funny even though the after credits scene pissed me off. I hope Hawkeye comes back in the next movie. So this is probably a dumb idea but it came to me after writing The REAL Infinity war with the Stones arguing then I thought about the Collector and Wong describing how even the Stones came into existence. Also, I know Mantis and Nick both said something before they faded but Peter was the only one who complained about it, as far as we know, and there's a lot of other factors that will make sense later if I ever do go from start to finish. Enjoy  
> \- There's a reason it's Peter  
> \- Lots of movie reference(cuz it's Peter)

Chapter One: The Infinity Watch

 

 

  
_Somewhere far, far away in a distant galaxy, within the space between spaces... the time between time..._ "Did we accidentally kill him?" the voice was unfamiliar and it caused Peter to jolt up and snap his eyes open, though he deeply regretted it afterwards since it caused him a headache. He blinked the pain and the blurriness away, feeling as though he had been sleeping for either an entire day or an entire decade.  
Peter Parker, otherwise known as Spider-Man, looked up to see the second strangest thing he had ever seen in his entire time with the Avengers; a red Thanos with the physical appearance of a woman and a green Thanos that was still a man but both were much tinier than the actual Thanos, who was purple. Neither wore the gauntlet that the Mad-Titan had been using to obtain the six Infinity Stones, but they wore strange clothes just the same.

  
The green Thanos was wearing the same clothes as the Doctors from _Doctor Who_ , including the scarf, though everything he was wearing was decked in different shades of green, just like his hair, skin, and eyes. He also had a fedora. The red Thanos was wearing the same suit Jim Carrey had been wearing in that really old movie, _The Mask_ , when he was dancing with Cameron Diaz. Even though the suit was red instead of yellow, the tie was the same. The other thing he noticed was their foreheads, even though the green Thanos was wearing the fedora. It reminded him of of Tsunade from _Naruto_ with the blue mark on her forehead, though obviously the man's was green and the woman's red but he couldn't help but notice they looked empty, as though something had been there and was removed.

  
"Who are you? Where am I?" the last thing he could remember was being on the alien planet Titan with Mr. Stark and the wizard, Doctor Strange, and those Guardians whose names he couldn't remember, though the blonde guy was the reason the alien girl had lost her hold on Thanos after finding out that someone named Gamora was dead, and the blue robot woman. He remembered seeing the three Guardians and Doctor Strange fade into ash and probably out of existence and with a grimace he remembered he had as well. _Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good. I'm sorry._ Those were his last words to Mr. Stark, who had been stabbed by the Mad-Titan and only spared because Doctor Strange had given up the Time Stone.

  
_Something's happening_. He remembered the alien girl saying that before she faded. The big gray guy faded next. Then Quill. Then Doctor Strange. _We're in the endgame now. Tony, there was no other way_. Those had been his last words and even his flying cloak that seemed to have a mind of its own faded as well. Out of over fourteen million other possibilites they only won in one and it felt like they lost. Thanos had obviously gotten the Mind Stone from Vision, who was probably also dead. So... was this where they went? They weren't really wiped out of existence? They were just with the two oddly colored and dressed Thanos characters?

  
He looked around and felt as though he'd stepped into Hogwarts from _Harry Potter_ , which didn't sound so bad at this point. There was an large table with six seats, though they looked more like thrones, and each one was differently colored. Though now he actually felt like he was in the Dark Lord's manor. He guessed easily that the red and green one belonged to the two that stood above him, but the others were purple, blue, orange, and yellow. He saw that there was a giant floor and he nearly vomited when he realized that was it. A floor, a table, and thrones. All around after that was nothing but space. Literally. Stars and moons, suns and planets, and he swore that the Milky Way was just in the distance, beyond that farthest star and he ignored the movie reference he wanted to make right there. "Who are you? Where am I? Am I dead? Did Thanos win? Where's everybody else?" he kept rambling on with his questions, occasionally repeating them without realizing it, trying and failing horribly on not panicking and the red Thanos zipped his lips shut. Literally. He felt like a cartoon character, most likely from _Looney Tunes_ , when a literal zipper formed on his lips and slid over, zipping it shut. "Please do not make us have to pull the zipper off," the green Thanos said with a sigh.

 

Both looked exhausted and downtrodden, as though they'd been stepped on by the bigger Thanos. "To answer your questions; we are Time and Reality, but you know us best as the Infinity Stones that the Mad-Titan Thanos, son of A'lars, sought out and used to destroy half of humanity and existence itself," despite having been the one to explain that, he flinched when the red one did. "You are in what is known as the space between spaces," he pulled the zipper back, feeling _like_ a cartoon character. "Like _Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull_?" both cracked a smile. "I told you he would say that," the green one, Time, said with amusement. "You always know what people will say, cheater," the red one, Reality, retorted. "Why do you both look like Thanos if you're the Infinity Stones and she looked like a girl Thanos? No offense," he said. "Whoever possesses the powers of our Stones, our forms take on theirs. More specifically, the last person to use our Stones or the person currently using them. Also, even Infinity Stones have genders and preferences. Right now hers is a woman," Time explained calmly. "You are in our home. This is where our forms reside. You are not dead and Thanos only won that battle. Everybody else... they are where they were left at. Nebula and Anthony Stark are on Titan and the rest are on Earth, mostly in Wakanda. Scott Lang is trapped in the Quantum Realm due to the Pym family also being victims of fading. Nick Fury has also faded," Time explained and Peter frowned. "Why... if you're the Stones... didn't you do anything?" both looked at him with grim expressions. "We wanted to. We are and just ask Doctor Strange or even the other wizard, Mordo... The bill always comes due," Reality said. "We are going to be in a lot of trouble for doing this, Peter Parker..." Time said. "Just... Peter is fine... sir... ma'am... Stones..." Peter bumbled out and Time smiled. "This is why I like humanity. They are very corrupt but ones like this one exist and that's what makes humanity worthwhile," Peter's cheeks turned slightly pink at the compliment.

 

"So... why am I here? Why not Doctor Strange or Star-Lord or Mr. Stark?" he asked. "Well, it is going to be very complicated, Peter. You've seen _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ and I'm guessing the _Terminator_ movies as well," he nodded. "Time travel and altering the past gets very complicated. Even I don't understand the grandfather paradox... wasn't... wasn't that _Tiger's Curse_?" he asked Reality who shrugged. "There's been so many paradoxes... I stopped watching _FRINGE_ ," she said. "My point is... it's going to get very complicated from here on out and you're probably the only one who can convince Stark to help us and none of the other Avengers have any real issues with you. You're far to adorable for that," Peter's cheeks turned red. He doubted it was everyday that a person was told they were adorable by a green man who was an Infinity Stone. "How are you the Stones? Why couldn't you do anything to Thanos sooner?" he asked and Time sighed.

  
"Let us just say that we are forbidden from harming humanity and anything of existence. They are technically our creations, no matter what they have done," Reality said. "We are not supposed to interfere and the consequences of our actions will come due," Time said as he massaged his forehead where the darker mark was. "Then why now?" he asked and Time shook his head. "Annoyingly cliche movie tidbit or not, we cannot tell you but you will understand soon enough, though you might want to be wary of the other four Infinity Stones," with a wave of Reality's hand a gleam of red surrounded the four thrones and he saw the faces of two, maybe three, people he recognized and one he didn't. The man, clad and colored in yellow, looked just like Vision when he wasn't in robot form. There was another man, clad and colored in purple, wearing the same clothes that Quill had been wearing on Titan and he looked just like Quill. To the last detail. Then there was the blue woman who was wearing a simple suit, also blue, but she looked like a female verion of Loki. He only knew what the God of Mischief looked like because of the pictures and videos when New York was attacked. Then there was the orange woman, the one he didn't recognize. She wore the same clothes Gamora was wearing when she was thrown off the cliff on Vormir, not that Peter knew that. She had a solemn expression on her face. He noticed that she also had an orange Stone, just like the one in Thanos's gauntlet, in the center of her forehead. The other three had the same, though theirs were their colors.

  
"Are they the bad guys?" he asked. "Not at all, they're just our... well in a way they are our siblings. Power is purple, Space is blue and yes that is the female version of Loki Laufeyson. He was the last one to use her power. Mind is yellow and Soul is orange. The woman you see is in fact Gamora," Time said. "If they're not the bad guys, why not just have them help?" Peter asked and Reality looked to Time for the answer. "They will, just... just trust me. Though I feel as though Power will mature a little, after all. We take on the forms and personalities and memories of those who use our powers. We do not take on the personality facades they do," Time said. "It will make sense eventually, Peter Parker. I know that sounds like a cliche thing that Dumbledore would say but it is true. It's just going to be hard and sacrifices must be made. If none of the Avengers or Sorcerers or gods believe you, anyone at all, just tell them things that they wouldn't expect you to know since they've never told you," Time was actually smirking. "Some are embarrasing ones. Others are sad. Tony Stark heard about Stony and Superhusbands and looked it up," while he was confused, Peter nodded. "Thor technically did lose that fight against the Hulk, he was dying and he only reason he didn't win was because the Grandmaster zapped him. Peter's mother died of cancer that his father caused when he was eight years old," Peter felt childish but he raised his hand. "My mom didn't--" Reality pulled the zipper back. "Quill. Why are they always named Tony or Peter?" she said with amusement before removing the zipper. "Natasha cannot have children and Bruce did have a crush on the Valkyrie," he nodded again. "T'Challa had a cousin he never knew about and killed him, for the sake of Wakanda," he grimaced at that. "Come to think of it... his cousin would be quite helpful to the war. T'Challa could be the voice of reason and he could be the fighter behind it," Reality said. "Yes, but it's to far into the future and it would be strange to do that, no pun intended," Time said quickly and Reality grinned, obviously both knowing an inside joke he didn't.

  
"Why do they look like the others and you guys look like Thanos?" he asked. "We'll return to our previous forms soon, just not right now. It's a time thing," Reality rolled her eyes. "We have a a gift for you and we hope you only use it for good, and you never let anyone else touch it or even know about it unless they absolutely have to."

  
Peter was honestly expecting a sword or maybe even a shield like Captain America, maybe even a hammer like Thor, or a gun like what Quill on Titan, but what he got was not what he was expecting. Like when you ask Santa for the thing you want for Christmas and you get clothes instead. Literally. "A watch?" he asked with confusion. "It may seem like an iconic name, but consider it the Infinity Watch," Time said as Reality put it on his wrist. He felt a jolt of electricity, almost like Thor had zapped him, when it fastened itself on. The entire watch itself was black, there was also thirteen hours on it, but on the circle was six holes and only two were filled. "There's two Stones in it," he commented. One was green and the other red. "Did you take these out of your heads?" he asked. "I told you he was smart," Time commented and Reality punched him in the shoulder. "I didn't doubt that, I just knew you were cheating," he rolled his eyes.

  
"Peter isn't fully human. His mother was Terran, or from Earth, and his father was a Celestial. Ego," both grimaced at the name. "Like a god?" he asked. "No... well... Thor, Odin, and Loki are gods. Odin is the All-father, Loki was gifted his powers by Odin, and Thor is the son of Odin. Gods are representations of a certain element or power, such as Thor and lightning and thunder. Their personalities and powers also stem from that element. A Celestial is a being with not only a planet that is the source of his or her existence, but they are more like primordial gods. The Infinity Stones, which are before the Celestials, were brought into existence by the Big Bang," the way the Infinity Stone said it was like when Mr. Stark was trying to hide something that was close to him. He sounded saddened almost but at the same time bitter and angry.  
"The Celestials came after us but they have lesser to equal power, though they are especially powerful when combined. The place in the galaxy known as Knowhere is the skull of a long dead Celestial. That is also the place where the Reality Stone was at and where Gamora was abducted, Vormir being the place where she died. Ego is particularly one of the most powerful given his source, they are always the strongest of them all and the most bullheaded. Look at Stark, your American government, and even Doctor Strange," he said.

 

"Perhaps it would be best to revive that one," Reality said. "Possibly, but not even speed can match egotistical ones," Time said. "Point is, Parker. Do not lose your arm or your hand or your good intentions. Even paths of dark desires and bloodshed have been paved by good intentions. Just ask Stark himself. One might say the trials against Thanos was the Infinity War, but it gets much worse. It always does but sometimes there's good in every bad place. Though I'm pretty sure it would be privy to lawsuit to use the term for a new hope," Time said with amusement. "That's the name of one of the _Star Wars_ movies and not from the prequels," Peter said. "Cheater," Reality muttered. "We can only do so much, so we're trusting you as we hope you can trust us. Even if you don't know us," Time said. "Not much a choice seeing how you're basically the Guardians of Infinity," Peter said and Time grinned. "Very well said," he said. "When using those, just imagine reality being whatever you want. I just think of Discord. You have to will it but don't use this," Reality poked him in the forehead. "Use this," she poked him in the chest, above his heart. "So... why me?" he asked. "You're the youngest of the Avengers and the most lovable. You're also one of the few people who Tony Stark trusts," Peter frowned. "So like some huge responsibility. Like Harry killing Voldemort," he said. "You won't be killing anyone. Least, I don't think so," Time said as he massaged his forehead again. "And whatever you do, don't let anyone else touch that watch or those stones and for Father's sakes do not let them get shattered. Not even Asgardian metal can contain them but that doesn't mean they're not unbreakable," Time said. "Ok, but... shouldn't your Stones be in the gauntlet?" he asked and Time just winked at him before Reality snapped her fingers. All he could really think of at that moment was; _Mr. Time, Ms. Reality, I don't feel so good._


	2. Chapter Two: Highway to Knowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- I can't really imagine Peter hiding this fact from the Avengers, or in this case Tony and he wouldn't hide it from Tony especially

Chapter Two: Highway to Knowhere

 

 

  
Peter groaned as he blinked again. He remembered the conversation with the two Infinity Stones with the appearance of Thanos. Time and Reality. He opened his eyes to see that the watch was still on his wrist and the stones were glowing with life.

  
Voices started chattering away excitedly and he felt his spider senses go off and he looked up to see he was back on the bus when the giant flying donut, as Mr. Stark had so eloquently called it, was attacking New York. Like before he put his hand over his arm and tapped Ned on the face. "I need you to cause a distraction," he said and when Ned turned he began panicking. "Holy shit, we're all gonna die!" Ned yelled and everyone got up to get on that side of the bus while Peter used his web shooter to open the emergency door.

  
"What's the matter with you kids? Haven't you ever seen a spaceship before?" the bus driver asked before he blinked, gripping the wheel. "Holy shit, that's some major _deja vu_ right there," he said awkwardly as Peter pulled on his mask. Use it only for good... She said to use it only for good and wouldn't... this count as good? He wondered how Doctor Strange would have the stone inside of his eye necklace if it was currently in his watch. The two Stones were in a circle on the watch just outside of the clock's hands but it looked like a protective layer, probably magical, was around them. Probably to prevent someone who could hold the Stones without dying from simply plucking them out of the watch.

  
As he was flinging himself around New York he was able to get his suit on but put it over the watch. Doctor Strange would probably think he somehow stole it and Mr. Stark would probably take it and if it wasn't those two, then the big scary guy and the smaller, creepy guy would probably kill him for it. "Sup, Mr. Stark?" he asked as he prevented Mr. Stark from getting hit by the big guy's hammer thing, again. "Kid, where'd you come from?" he asked. "Field trip," he said before he was flung away, again, and he knew that would get annoying. "Mr. Stark... this guy's problem?" he asked.

  
"He is from space and came to steal a necklace from a wizard," Tony said as they both fought him at the same time. "Kid, that's a wizard. Get on it," he said as the Cloak came flying forward, holding Doctor Strange. "On it!" he said before firing his web shooters. If he knew what happened and had two Stones, he could totally help Mr. Stark in defeating Thanos and Gamora probably wouldn't end up dead and neither would half of the universe. It didn't change the weird fact that there were six people, or Guardians, inside of these Stones or that Time and Reality both seemed wary of something but it would definitely help defeat Thanos.

  
Remembering getting hit by the flying debris, he twisted his wrist like he had seen the Doctor Strange when he had been fighting on Titan and thought of how Reality described it. Nobody would believe him and would probably take the Stones and watch away if he said anything, so he opted for option one. Tell nobody, be the silent awesome hero. He thought about the debris turning into paper and thought really hard about it. Imagined it even and. "Holy shit! That worked!" he was slapped in the face by the papers but it still worked!

  
"Thank you, Reality!" he said with a laugh before he flung himself in front of Ebony Maw, without him seeing him. The Maw tried to grab Doctor Strange and the Cloak with the street lights and Peter thought about candy canes. It worked, much to the alien's surprise and confusion and possibly his annoyance as well. "NO!" he yelled when Peter grabbed onto the wizard. "Sup, Cloaky?" he asked and the Cloak slapped him in the face. "I'm helping here!" he said as he flung himself away, though he was quickly caught by another street lamp that was bent to Ebony Maw's power.

  
The Maw floated towards him. "Insufferable insect," he spat before floating away. "Uhm... spaghetti?" he asked with a twist of his wrist. That one didn't work. "Get off me," he said, twisting it again and this time the street lamp broke off. He grabbed onto the wizard again and was pulled into the blue vortex thing again. "Mr. Stark! I'm being beamed up!" he said as he got onto the side of the ship.

  
"Kid, you gotta let go. You're to high up. You're running out of air," Tony said as he flew up there. "That makes sense," Peter said, breathless as he pulled off his mask. Not even the Stones prevented the loss of oxygen. He let go and felt the object for the suit hit him in the back again. "Mr. Stark, it smells like a new car in here," he said. "Happy trails, kid. FRIDAY send him home," Tony said and a parachute opened in the back of the suit.

  
With ease, just like before, Peter got out of it and climbed up the side again. "Oh my God," the sight of going into space was still as exhilirating. "Shoulda went to Wakanda," he said with a grimace.  
He climbed along the ceiling inside of the ship and grimaced again when he saw Doctor Strange hovering, currently unconscious, and Ebony Maw had the needles floating around him. It reminded him of a voodoo doll and the pins that poked it. "You are one loyal piece of fabric," Tony said to the Cloak as they stared at the alien and the Sorcerer.

  
"Speaking of loyalty," Peter said as he hangs upside down before jumping to his feet. "I know what you're gonna say to me," he said as Tony stormed to him. "You should not be here," Tony said firmly. "I was gonna go home," Peter started and he understood the bus driver with the _deja vu_. "I don't wanna hear it," Tony snapped. "But it was a long way down and I just thought..." Peter continued. "And now I gotta hear it," Tony said with annoyance.

  
"This suit is awesome, by the way. Thanks for that. Uhm... I thought you could... would want some help," he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Better than having Mr. Stark be angry at him. "Suck up," Tony muttered. "You're right where I didn't want you to be. This isn't Coney Island or some field trip. This is a one-way ticket. Do you hear me?" Tony said angrily. "Don't pretend you thought this through," he said. "I did think this through. You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man if there's no neighborhood and I know that doesn't make sense but you get my point. And I have an idea to get him out of there and take care of Voldemort at the same time. Have you ever seen this really old movie _Aliens_?" he asked and Tony raised an eyebrow at him.

  
"Painful, aren't they? They were originally designed for microsurgery. And any one of them..." Ebony said as he drove the needles deeper, though he stopped and turned when he heard the noise behind him. "Any one of them could end your friend's life in an instant," he said with a glare. They're still in his skin so it would hurt to turn them into spaghetti or butterflies. Peter thought as he was hunched in his position.  
"I gotta tell you, he's not really my friend. Saving his life is more of a professional courtesy," Tony said. "You've saved nothing. Your powers are inconsequential compared to mine," he said as he began aving his hands around and objects began floating next to him. "Yeah, but the kid's seen more movies," Tony said before blasting a giant hole int he wall.

  
Both the alien and Doctor Strange were pulled towards the hold but Peter and the Cloak both managed to grab onto him and the giant mechanical spider legs helped Peter fling the two of them back and Tony sealed the hole.

  
"We gotta turn this ship around," Strange said as he stood and the Cloak fastened itself to his shoulders. "Yeah, now he wants to run," Tony grumbled. "I want to protect the Stone," Stephen said. "And I want you to thank me now. Go ahead, I'm listening," Tony said cockily. "For what? Nearly blasting me into space?" Strange retorted. "Who just saved your magical ass? Me," Tony said. "I don't know how you fit your head into that helmet," Stephen said with annoyance.

  
"Admit it. You should've ducked out when I told you to. I tried to bench you, you refused," Tony said. "Unlike everyone else in your life, I don't work for you," Strange said angrily. "And due to that fact, we're now in a flying doughnut, billions of miles from Earth, with no back-up," Tony snapped. "I'm back-up," Peter said. "No, you're a stowaway. The adults are talking," Tony snapped.

  
"Hey, uhm, so is the Stone in the necklace?" Peter asked. "It is and there's a spell around the Eye of Agamatto, it keeps others from opening it," Strange explained. "I'm just confused as to the relationship here, I mean what is he, your ward?" Strange asked. "I'm Peter. Spider-Man," he greeted. "Doctor Strange," Strange greeted. "Right and that is... your real name," Peter said, ignoring the glare he received. "Oh, and uh. We should turn this thing... around... It's self-correcting its course, so autopilot. Mr. Stark, you can reroute it right?" Peter asked, knowing Tony wouldn't want to. "Can we control it? Fly us home?" Strange asked. "I'm not so sure we should," he said and Peter beat Doctor Strange to the punch.

  
Gamora would probably be fine if they returned to Earth. Quill and his two friends probably wouldn't meet them, ever, or the blue woman, but it was better than bringing him the stones. What was the best part about the suit was that it moved at will, just like Tony's, and he saw that the watch was still on. The Stones hummed with life. "We shouldn't really bring the Stones to Thanos, Tony," Tony was glaring at him. "The kid is right, Stark. Under no circumstances," Strange said. "No, you guys don't understand that Thanos has been inside my head for six years since he sent Loki to New York with his army. So I'm not so sure if it's a better plan to fight him on our turf or his. At least, let's hope he's not expecting it. So I say we take the fight to him, Doctor. Do you and this traitor concur?" Tony asked.

  
"Dude, that's a good plan and all but what if it doesn't go well? Just because he may not be expecting it doesn't mean he couldn't have an army on his turf?" Peter knew that his army was probably wherever Wakanda was, since there was no army on Titan, but how was he supposed to just say that? Then again, after seeing why the Avengers broke up on how Steve had been keeping secrets, it was probably better just to say it. "Why are you taking his side?" Tony snapped. "Because he's thinking this through," Strange snapped back. "Okay... uhm... Mr. Stark... uhm... the Infinity Stones... that's cool and all," he felt his gut clench when the two stared at him. "We never said they were Infinity Stones," Tony said darkly. "Are you even the kid?" he snapped. "Of course, I'm Peter! We met when I was fifteen and when you were fighting Captain America you told me to go for his legs and it worked! You said my Aunt was hot," Strange rolled his eyes at that. "Then what the hell?" Tony snapped.

  
"Okay, you guys are going to think I'm crazy and maybe if this goes to shit I can just rewind it and not say anything," both were staring at him like he was crazy. "Dude, can you open your Eye of Aragon and use the Stone to like... reverse the direction of the ship? Would that work?" both were staring at him still but Doctor Strange did move his hands and was obviously using magic as the eye opened. "It's Agamatto," he muttered, obviously annoyed.

  
The Eye glowed green and there was the Time Stone. Green as the Hulk and glowing. "Alright, I will ask you this only once and you will answer with the truth," Doctor Strange was scary when he was angry and definitely taller. "Why?" he said as he towered over Peter. "It's here, well, on you but also here," Peter pulled up his sleeve, revealing the watch and the two Stones on it. "I thought Wong said there were only six," Tony said as he came towards him. "Why do you have the Reality Stone? Which is the real Time Stone" Strange asked. "Okay, it's a really long story and uhm... I think this would best relate to either _Butterfly Effect_ or _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ ," both men rolled their eyes at the movie references but they were listening.

  
"I've done this before. I have. Okay. We already did this or I did and I'm the only one who knows because I have the Stones and this is so cliche. Uhm... We fought Thanos already. We meet these guys called the Guardians of the Galaxy. Quill, some hot but creepy alien chick with antennas and big eyeballs, and a big gray guy. Uh, they knew some chick named Gamora who Thanos kills to get the Soul Stone off of Vormir. I think that's what the blue chick said. Anyway, I think it was Quill's girlfriend and he ends up ruining the chance of getting the gaunlet off his arm. We all got our asses kicked and you--" he pointed at Strange. "Gave him the Stone after he--" he pointed at Tony. "Gets stabbed," both were glaring at each other. "I won't now," Tony said cockily. "Don't expect me to save your ass when it happens again," Strange said. "Ok, and then I think he gets the Mind Stone out of Vision's head cause then everybody, well me and the Guardians, and Doctor Strange all end up turning into ash. Literally fading out of existence like this," he snapped his fingers. "Cause he got all six Stones. I don't think you did, Mr. Stark, and I don't know about Nebula either. He said that Ant-Man gets trapped in the Quantum Realm and that Nick Fury also faded," Tony was frowning.

  
"Whose he?" Doctor Strange asked. "Uh, the two Stones. Well, all Six are actually people. Like Guardians of Infinity. They're people and the Stones are inside their foreheads. Time and Reality took them out of their own and made this watch. They said that they were risking a lot by helping and they had to do it after Thanos destroyed half of humanity, I don't know why, but Time did say that I could ask you or some dude name Mordo about the bill coming due," a strange, no pun intended, look came over the Doctor's face. "They both looked like Thanos too and it was uncanny since Reality is supposed to be a chick," he said awkwardly. "How the hell... why do you know this shit?" Tony asked. "I don't know. They said I was the only one who would be able to convince you and at this point I think they should've went with Pepper instead," both Peter and Tony knew why he said that. "Uhm, please don't be mad about that," he said awkwardly. "Okay, prove it. Tell me something only a Time Stone would know," Strange groaned at that. "How else would the kid know about the Stones and have them? We weren't near each other and he wouldn't have been able to remove the Stone from the Eye to replace it with a fake and why would he have a fake?" Strange asked.

  
"Uhm, okay. Time told me you would need that," Tony rolled his eyes at that. "You heard about Stony and Superhusbands and looked it up," Doctor Strange raised a curious and even amused eyebrow when Tony turned scarlet. "You didn't--" he started. "Look it up? I didn't get the chance. What is it?" he asked. "None of your damn business, that's what. Don't look it up or I swear to God... I'll... do... I'll get you," Tony said awkwardly. "The legendary Tony Stark reduced to a bumbling mess. If we survive this, I think I'll look it up," Strange said with amusement and Tony glared at him. "I can kill you without remorse," Tony said. "We'd also need to convince the others if we really have to do this crap," Tony said, changing the subject. "Oh, uhm. Thor technically lost a fight against the Hulk, he was dying and the only reason Hulk won was because some guy called the Grandmaster zapped Thor," Tony smirked. "Hello, blackmail on Pointbreak," he said. "Quill's mom is... that's his business..." Peter said awkwardly. "Natasha's is hers too and Bruce had a crush on a Valkyrie," Tony's smirk grew. "I think you're telling this to the wrong person, you're just giving him more ammunition," Strange said and Peter nodded. "I realize that now," he said with a sigh. "Oh, and I'm guessing Time looked like you before he looked like a green Thanos. They said they look like the person who used them last," he said. "So I'm guessing then that Reality looks like you. The candy canes were a dead giveaway," Peter flushed but shrugged. Probably. He didn't really want to imagine Reality looking like a female version of him though.

  
"There's the four others. Mind looks like Vision, Space looks like a female Loki, Power looks like Quill, and Soul looks like Gamora," he said. "The ship is on autopilot and if we can meet them then we can convince them to help us get home," Strange said. "The Reality Stone was supposed to be in Knowhere," Peter said. "It has to be somewhere," Tony said. "No, Knowhere. It's a place. Uhm, the skull of a dead Celestial," both stared at him. "I didn't make it!" he said awkwardly. "Gamora dies on Vormir so that Thanos can get the Soul Stone," he said. "Should we reroute it for Knowhere then?" Tony asked. "Maybe? I mean, if he doesn't get the Reality Stone from Knowhere then shouldn't that change how he gets the Soul Stone?" Peter asked. "Maybe, but that might be to high a risk. Stark, try and reroute this thing for Knowhere, if you can," Strange said and Tony accepted that as a challenge.

  
"Why you? I'm not saying that to be rude but why you?" Strange asked. "Don't you think I asked that? It'd have made more sense for it to have been you or Mr. Stark or Star-Lord," he said. "Time said I was probably the only one who could convince Tony to help the infinity Stones and that none of the other Avengers had problems with me. He called me adorable," Strange looked amused. "It's just weird. They said they were forbidden from hurting humanity and pretty much anything in existence. I would be careful with using the Time Stone however, in regards to reversing it. It doesn't alter the space time continuem. It destroys it," he said. "Then... you ever see that really old TV show... _Saved by the Bell_? The Zack Morris Time Out?" Strange rolled his eyes again. "At this point that wouldn't be so bad," he said. "They told me to only use it for good and to not let anyone else get it and to not lose my arm or my hand, I haven't tried to take it off," he said awkwardly. "May I?" Strange asked and Peter held out his wrist. The minute the Sorcerer's fingers touched the watch he recoiled with pain. The entire watch turned black to a lava red, though Peter felt no pain. "Just like the Eye... we'll keep it in other's minds that the Stone is in here," Strange said as he massaged his fingers together and tapped the Eye of Agamatto with the others. "Well, it might be better for you to have both rather than split them up. Maybe they're more powerful together," he could tell Doctor Strange was uncomfortable with the idea, but was going with it. "KNOWHERE! KNOWHERE, DAMN YOU!" Peter jumped when he heard Tony yelling at the computer. "What if the Guardians don't believe you?" he asked. "Well, they did tell me about Quill's mom so I guess Quill will believe me. I think. Or get mad at me," he said as the ship began turning. "Okay, you might want to hold onto something! This thing is unstable!" Tony yelled. "FRIDAY, play some tunes. I'm thinking..." neither heard what Tony said but they heard the music that started blasting. "We might all possibly die and that's what you play?" Strange asked with anger.

  
"Hey, I calls them as I sees them," Tony said. "Besides, my suit, my tunes," he said. "AC/DC is not necessary at this time," Peter yelled as he shot his webs onto the side of the ship, which began flying faster into space. They would probably end up crashing into Knowhere just like they had on Titan. He guessed that was the reason why Tony chose _Highway to Hell_ out of all of his songs. "All right, Stark, we're going with this plan but if it comes to saving you or the kid or any of these... Guardians... the Stones will have to come first," Strange said as Tony approached. "Nice. Good. Moral compass. All right kid," he moved his hand on Peter's shoulders. "You're an Avenger now, though with this _Terminator_ crap going on you are probably already an Avenger," he said. " _Terminator_ , his buddy was his dad. _Butterfly Effect_ Ashton Kutcher killed himself. _Harry Potter_... Harry saved himself from the Dementors and saved Sirius," he said with a smile. Even if the bill came due, like they said, they could just use the Stones. Right?


	3. Chapter Three: A Fight That Led to Nowhere

Chapter Three: A Fight That Led to Nowhere

  
"This place looks deserted," Quill said. "I'm reading movements right... above us?" he they all looked up to see a giant circular ship floating above their heads. "It's one of Thanos's..." Gamora said, her breathing hitching slightly as the grip on her blade tightened. "MOVE LEFT, DAMMIT!" the Guardians jumped when they heard an unfamiliar voice. "That'll give us the element of surprise," Quill muttered. "MY LEFT OR YOUR LEFT?" another voice asked. "THEY'RE THE SAME GODDAMN LEFT!" the first voice snapped and Quill smirked. "That'll keep him off us," he said. "That's not Thanos?" Drax asked with disappointment.

  
Quill rolled his eyes as he looked back at the screen. "I'm reading movement from the third quadrant," he said as the other ship managed to park itself. "How's he supposed to get out? Unless wizards don't need oxygen," a third voice asked as the hatch on the ship opened, though it appeared the owners were unaware of the Guardians presence. "That man is a spider," Drax commented as three people emerged, all of them being male.

  
Two seemed to be made of metal based on their suits. One was like that of an insect, a spider, and the other was red and gold. The third wore blue with a red cloak that seemed to help him to float. "Would you prefer the kiss of life?" the man in red and gold asked sarcastically to the man with the cloak. "I'd rather throw you into a black hole," the man in blue retorted. He wore a mask identical to the man in red and gold, and obviously he was annoyed about it. "Wizards shouldn't be in space," the iron man said. "Starks shouldn't be pains in the ass, yet here you are," he retorted.

  
"Ok, let's go in," Quill said as he cocked his gun. The Guardians exited the ship only to run instantly into the three men, mostly because the man-spider accidentally shot Drax in the face with a sticky substance. "Sorry, man!" he yelled as they approached them. "Who the hell are you?" Peter asked. "Kid, you wanna take this?" Tony asked and Doctor Strange rolled his eyes. "Uh, hi. We're the Avengers. Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange," he said. "You're the ones Thor told us about," the girl with the antenna said excitedly.

  
"You know Thor?" Tony asked. "Yeah, tall guy, not that good-looking," Quill said. "Where is he now?" Tony asked. "He said he was getting a weapon from Nidavellir," Quill said. "Did he send you?" Gamora asked and Peter realized she was green skinned, not that there was anything wrong with that, rather than orange. "Uh, no, this one did," Tony said as the mask pulled back off his face and Doctor Strange threw his off. "Rude," Tony muttered as he watched the mask clatter to the ground.

  
"Okay, we're here to kill Thanos, just like you guys," he felt as though he was under a scrutinizing microscope. "And we already have two of the Infinity Stones," he said, revealing his watch. "How? You just got here and the Reality Stone is in there... supposed to be..." Quill demanded. "Uh, okay, uh..." Doctor Strange took pity on him. "The Infinity Stones are more powerful than even Thanos realizes. I am going to assume this event did not happen until now. Time travel," Quill chuckled. "Right, like _Back to the Future_?" Quill said. "Kinda, just less of a Doc Brown and Marty McFly," Peter said. "Why do they always like movies?" Tony said with annoyance. "So _Terminator_ then?" even Gamora was getting annoyed at Quill. "Yeah, but instead of killing Sarah Connor it's Thanos," Peter said. "Ok, instead of talking about Terran movies can we get back to the mission? How did you obtain the Infinity Stones?" she demanded as the grip on her blade tightened. "Uh, okay so the Stones are really people. Like people with the Stones in their heads. Like the Crystal Gems from _Steven Universe_ ," Quill didn't respond to that one. "I will throw you into hyperspace, I swear to God," Tony groaned. "Ok, so I think in the previous timeline and this is so much like a time travel movie, it's unreal, anyway, he gets the Soul Stone from the place. I think he figures it out," Gamora's eyes widened. "I think he killed you to get it then he--" he pointed to Quill. "Got mad and punched him in the face then Doc gave him the Time Stone then I think he killed Mr. Stark's robot son and then he killed half of the universe," he explained. "Why would such all powerful Infinity Stones pick such a tiny arachnid dude to go back in time?" Drax asked with confusion. "I'm not tiny, I'm... you're just giant," Peter retorted and Tony, Strange, Gamora, and Quill all rolled their eyes. "How does this man made of metal have a child?" Drax added. "Vision is probably his grandson since he made Ultron who made Vison with Thor's assistance... does that make Thor Vision's dad?" he asked. "Oh my god..." Tony groaned.

  
"Okay, I'm not thinking I believe Peewee here," Quill said. "Ok, I wouldn't know this unless Time told me because he probably sees it. Your... uhm... we share more than just a first name in common," Peter said awkwardly as he walked away, thinking Quill would want privacy. "Oh really?" Quill retorted. "He told me to tell people their embarrassing or sad secrets if they didn't believe me. Your mom died when you were eight. Cancer and your dad was the reason," Quill blinked at him the grip on his gun tightened. "Do I need to french fry you, you little freak?" he asked. "I wouldn't know that unless this was real, man. He told me to do it. I even asked him why he wouldn't have picked you or Mr. Stark or Doctor Strange and he answered in a very weird way!" Peter explained. "Alright, I'll believe you. You're lucky, punk," he said before storming away.

  
"Ok, so here's the plan. One team goes left and the other goes right. He has the Power and Space Stones, so if worse comes to worse then we can have Peter use Time and Reality. Or Strange can do it if Peter figures out how to get his Megamind watch off," Tony said. "And you give him crap," Strange muttered and Tony ignored him. Drax started yawning. "Excuse me, are you... are you yawning during my plan?" Tony asked with annoyance. "Yeah, see not winging it isn't really what they do," Tony said. "And what do you do?" Strange asked. "Kick names, take ass," Mantis said as she and Drax stood tall and proud. "That's right," he said. "Morons," Gamora muttered.

  
"I died, didn't I?" she asked as she led Peter away from the group, where Tony was pretty much having an ego size contest with Star-Lord. "I think so. The blue chick said you went to Vor--" she covered his mouth. "The place," he corrected. "With Thanos and he went back to Titan with the Soul Stone but you didn't," she lowered her gaze. "Perhaps the way to obtain the power of the Stone is to kill someone," she glared at the ground. "I will be the one to kill him and if I could I would take the Time Stone and do it on a loop," Strange looked over at them, an odd expression on his face, when he heard that.

  
"Dude, don't call us plucky, we don't know what it means," Quill said. "We're getting the gauntlet and we'll either have someone else take it--" Tony started but Strange cut him off. "I would certainly hope that you don't mean yourself," he said and Tony glared at him. "We take him by surprise--" Quill looked amused at that. "Yeah, right. With that entrance? I'm surprised you even managed to park the damn thing. Who doesn't know left from right?" he asked and Tony's glare hardened. "Besides, your plan sucks so let me do the planning and it will actually be a good plan," Tony looked offended.

  
Peter sighed in annoyance and Gamora looked thoughtful. "Why would the Stones pick you?" she asked. "I don't know. He said something about helping to convince Mr. Stark to help them. What an Infinity Stone would need help with, I don't know. They said that they were forbidden from hurting anything of existence. That probably includes Thanos, and they also said that they would face consequences for helping me to help them. Who could make an Infinity Stone pay, probably only a Celestial and this one is dead and the only one they talked about was Ego," he said and Quill looked at him again. "Why do you know so much about my parents?" he snapped. "Your dad's name was Ego? Makes sense," Tony muttered.

  
"He's dead," Quill snapped. "I killed him," he added. "Technically Groot killed him with the bomb," Drax said quietly. "He was a Celestial. Time and Reality mentioned him and they didn't seem to like him," Peter said quickly. "Makes sense," Quill grumbled. "Is that like a god?" Tony asked. "Primordial god, not like Thor and Loki," Peter explained.

  
The group started forward again, entering the Collector's building and it was slightly trashed from the last time they had been there. "Some chick offed herself with the Power Stone. Does he not know how to clean up?" Quill asked as they treaded lightly.

  
"I know you have the Reality Stone. Giving it to me will spare you a great deal of suffering," Peter recognized Thanos's voice as they walked in, hiding behind the debris. He was standing over the Collector with his foot on the man's chest. "I told you. I sold it," the Collector gasped out. "Why would I lie?" he asked with a groan. "I imagine it's like breathing for you," Thanos remarked. "Like suicide," the Collector whispered, making the Titan smirk. "So you do understand. Not even you will surrender something so precious," he said. "I didn't know what it was," he gasped out. "Then you're more of a fool than I took you for. Last chance. Where is the Stone?" he asked again.

  
Drax drew his swords, ignoring the plan Tony _and_ Quill had come up with. "Today, he pays for the deaths of my wife and daughter," he said angrily. "Drax, wait! Whoa, not yet," Quill said as he tried to hold Drax back. "He doesn't have the Stone yet and probably not at all. We get it, and then we can stop him," Quill tried to stop him but Drax shoved him away. "No. No. For Ovette. For Camaria," he said as he continued forward, though he didn't get far as Mantis put her hands to the back of his head. "Sleep."

  
However, it didn't do much help since he fell face first onto the ground, causing a huge crashing noise. Everyone ducked down just as Thanos looked over. He threw the Collector into a glass case. "Okay, Gamora, Mantis, you go right. I'm..." before anything else, Gamora ran to the left and charged the Mad-Titan. "The other right!" Peter yelled and Tony glared at him.

  
Gamora charged and let out a battle cry as she started to slice at him with her blades. He managed to grab one in the middle and break it, but she spun it around and stabbed him in the throat. She pulled out a smaller blade and stabbed him in the chest. He fell backwards onto the ground and looked at her with tears. "Why? Why you? Daughter..." he asked in a whisper and her face contorted to a mixture of sadness and relief.

  
"That was quick," Peter commented. "You just jinxed it, fifty says he just jinxed it," Tony muttered. "Is that sadness I sense in you, daughter? In my heart, I knew you still cared. No one ever knows for sure. Reality is often disappointing," the room had a red glow around it and turned into a hell on earth rather than a dismanteld room as the Collector disappears along with the dead Thanos.

  
The real Thanos appeared and he held up the gaunlet, which had the Reality Stone in it. "I thought you said you had Time and Reality," Tony whispered harshly. "I do," Peter pulled up his sleeve. He was confused and he was scared now. Neither Time or Reality had said anything about this. How can there be two of the same Stones when there was only supposed to be six? It's not like they could duplicate them, could they? "You knew I'd come," Gamora said as she stared at him with anger and fear. "I counted on it. There's something we need to discuss, little one," he said.

  
"THANOS!" Drax shouted and he charged the Titan who simply raised his gauntlet and used the Reality Stone to turn the alien into a stack of blocks and Mantis into ribbons. Doctor Strange conjured shields as the Cloak flew towards Thanos and Tony started firing, aiming away from Gamora. Thanos yelled as he was shot, it hurting more when he was without the Soul Stone, though the Reality Stone glowed and the Cloak fell into threads and it reminded Peter of _Aladdin_ and the Magic Carpet. "Dude, not cool," Peter said as he tried to think of rewinding the events. It would probably be bad for all of them, if Thanos saw that he had the Time Stone, but better than risking that... right?

  
He only just barely knew how to use the Reality Stone. "Uh, rewind," he said loudly and nothing happened. Not even a flicker of light. "Time out?" he said hopefully and nothing happened. "Fast forward?" he practically begged and there was still nothing. There was no way his was a fake, but Doctor Strange's couldn't be a fake either. "Uh, Doc, we could use a rewind here," Tony said angrily as his beams did minimal damage to the Mad-Titan. Doctor Strange attempted to use the Stone, away from Thanos's prying eyes, but even Peter saw that nothing was happening and that the wizard was panicking. "Don't tell him where it is! That's how that happens!" he said to Gamora who nodded. "The cool robot chick should be fine!" he added as he tapped the watch. "Does only use it for good mean only use it when absolutely necessary? This is necessary," he said rapidly.

  
The pillar he was hiding behind disappeared and his mask formed over his face as he looked the Mad-Titan in the eye. "Ruined the opportunity of surprising my daughter with her beloved sister," the Titan spat. "The only question is; how?" he asked as he formed a fist threateningly. "Uh, magic!" Peter said as he jumped into one of Doctor Strange's portals before reappearing and punching the Titan in the face. "More magic!" he repeated it. "Magic with a kick!" he said again as he came through another portal, kicking him in the face this time. "Magic with a--" he yelled when he was grabbed by the throat and he really hated deja vu. "Insect," the Titan growled before he grabbed his forearm. _Please don't rip it off. Please don't rip it off_. Peter pleaded in his head as the Titan stared at the watch. The suit didn't reform on his wrist and the Titan saw the Infinity Watch.

  
"The Time Stone," he released Peter's throat, only to reach for the Time Stone. "You spared me a great deal of trouble," he commented as his fingers wrapped around it before he recoiled in pain. On his massive fingertips was a bright red burn mark and the Stone was glowing. "A simple spell. One you'll find difficult to remove," Doctor Strange commented as he formed the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak which wrapped around the gauntlet, which only glowed a bright red in response. "Then I'll take it from his corpse," Thanos growled as he pulled his arm back, flinging the Sorcerer into the wall and his entire body slammed into it, denting it deeply.

  
"How it is in only a watch... you and I have a lot to discuss, insect," he spat as he made a grab for Gamora. Quill started firing rapidly at him and Tony soon joined. He clenched his fist and a wave of energy from the Power Stone fired at the two, firing them backwards. Peter fired his web shooter and grabbed her with it, throwing the two of them upwards. "Only way to prevent him from getting the Soul Stone is to keep you away from him and off that planet," he said and she nodded before glaring. "How does he have the Reality Stone if you do?" she demanded. "I don't know! Infinity Stones don't come with instruction manuals," he said. "Doc still has the Time Stone," he said quietly as he dodged Thanos's attacks. "Can't you use them?" she asked. "We both tried, we both sucked," he said before they were both pulled down with the Space Stone.

  
"Enough," Thanos said as he grabbed the both of them and used the Space Stone to leave. "Did we just lose?" Quill asked fearfully as Drax and Mantis reformed. "Kid..." Tony said with a mixture of emotions, ones that he didn't show anyone else. Sadness, anger, and fear. The three worse to combine.


	4. Chapter Four: A Soul for a Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- We all know what happens next

Chapter Four: A Soul for a Soul

 

  
"I shall suppose that this is different than... before... were you sent backwards in time?" she asked as they sat next to each other on the steps in front of Thanos's throne. "I guess. Time didn't specify. Probably should've asked more questions," Peter muttered. "It wasn't your fault. You tried. We just failed," Gamora sighed. "Just... I don't know how he got the information out of you but he'll kill you to get the Stone. He did in my... timeline... I hate time travel. Even Time said he didn't understand the grandpa paradox," he said and Gamora looked at him with confusion. "He said it was _Tiger's Curse_. Probably a book or a movie," he said. "I would expect you to know Terran movies," she said. He shrugged. "It is funny. You are both named Peter and you both like movies. Is _Footloose_ still the greatest movie ever?" she asked. "It never was," Peter said and she frowned. "Thor said Kevin Bacon might be on the Avengers," she said. "Kevin Bacon is an actor. The Avengers are superheroes. They either have superpowers, magic, or super intelligence. Or they're robots," he said. "Peter will be disappointed," she said. "I'm Peter," he said. "My Peter," she said with a roll of her eyes. He knew she was only making small talk because she was scared. It was like Mr. Stark, but Mr. Stark covered his up with humor that was often perverted. "If you and Nebula do get out then you should probably go to Earth and find Steve Rogers. Go to Wakanda in Africa. Their king is Black Panther," he said and she nodded.

  
Both jumped to their feet and Peter held his wrist protectively when Thanos approached them. "I thought the two of you might be hungry," he said as he handed each of them a bowl of food. Gamora turned and threw hers at the throne, shattering the bowl and splattering the food. "I always hated that chair," she said. "So I've heard," Thanos said with a sigh as he sat down. "Should I... throw this...?" he asked and Gamora snapped it from his hand and threw it at Thanos, who simply used the Reality Stone to turn it into bubbles.

  
"Even so, I hoped you'd sit in it one day," he said. "I hated this room, this ship... I hated my life," she spat. "You told me that, too. Everyday," Peter felt really awkward and wondered if it was worth trying to make a break for it. Whether it was by running or firing his web shooter. "For almost twenty years," he said. "I was a child when you took me," she said. "I saved you," he corrected. "No. We were happy on my home planet," she said angrily. "Going to bed hungry? Scrounging for scraps. Your planet was on the brink of collapse. I'm the one who stopped that. You know what's happened since hten? The children born, have known nothing but full bellies and clear skies. It's a paradise," he said.

  
Gamora was glaring at him. "Because you murdered half the planet," she whispered angrily. "A small price to pay for salvation," he said simply. "You're insane," she spat. "Little one, it's a simple calculus. This universe is finite. Its resources, finite. If life is left unchecked, life will cease to exist. It needs correction," he said and she yelled at him, anger in her eyes. "You don't know that!"

  
"I'm the only one who knows that. At least, I'm the only one with the will to act on it," he said. "Dude, if you have the Reality Stone why not just make more resources? Or use the Time Stone to make the planets and animals grow faster?" Peter asked with confusion. Wouldn't that make more sense? Less people would die. "Then the population would only grow bigger and bigger and they would be ungrateful and look solely for nothing but the service of the Reality Stone," he ignored that it was a good point. Peter knew how ungrateful people could be. "There's still good people," he said as he clutched his wrist. "Name one," Thanos retorted. "Any one of your people of Earth. Name one person who has been grateful for the help you have ever offered," he said. Peter was scowling. "You can't. Not even Stark. So tell me. Why is it that we both have a Reality Stone and yet you have the Time Stone when you're only mortal with a special suit?" Thanos inquired and Peter was silent.

  
He turned away back to Gamora when Peter was silent. "For a time, you had that same will as you fought by my side, daughter," he said. "I am not your daughter. Everything I hated about myself, you taught me," she hissed. "And in doing so made you the fiercest woman in the galaxy. It's why I trusted you to find the Soul Stone," he said. "I'm sorry I disappointed you," Gamora said and Peter knew she was lying. Only the two of them knew where it was. Nebula might, but Thanos was searching for answers from Gamora, who knew what would happen if she told him. Thanos didn't, but she did.

  
"I am disappointed. But not because you didn't find it. But because you did. And you lied," he said as he led them into a room where Nebula was hovering able a table, parts of her body pulled away and it was obvious she was in pain. "C'mon," he twisted the watch and nothing happened. "Nebula being put back together again," he thought about it and knew he wished it but nothing happened. "These things need instruction manuals," he muttered.

  
"Sometime ago, your sister snuck aboard this ship to kill me. She very nearly succeeded. So, I brought her here to talk," Thanos said simply. "She... she didn't find the Soul Stone," Peter said weakly and Thanos glared at him. "My daughter will speak for herself," he said. "I swear to you, on my life... I never found the Soul Stone," she said, nearly in tears.

  
Thanos's minion at the computer accessed her memory files. A small holographic Gamora appeared and he wanted to make a reference to _Star Trek_ so badly. "You know what he's about to do. He's finally ready and he's going for the Stones. All of them," Nebula's voice said. "He'll never get them all. He can't, Nebula. Because I found the map to the Soul Stone and I burned it to ash. I burned it," Gamora's hologram said before it turned off.

  
"You're strong. Me. The generous me. But I never taught you to lie. That's why you're so bad at it," he sneered. "Where is the Soul Stone?" he asked. Peter knew Nebula had to have gotten out by herself. "She doesn't know. The Reality Stone... took the memory..." Peter said and Thanos glared at him. "It's true," Gamora said quietly and Thanos stared at him. "Then I suppose... you would have to know," Peter felt tiny again underneath the Titan's steady gaze. "I do..." he wondered if the Stones would be working any time soon. "Where is the Soul Stone?" he demanded as he used the Space Stone to pull Nebula apart.

  
"Let Gamora and Nebula go first. Away from here and away from you and then you'll know," he wondered if Thanos was just playing an intimidation game on him and knew that they were both lying about Gamora not knowing where it really was. "You're smart for an underling of Stark. When half of humanity is gone I hope they remember the both of you," he said. "Where is the Stone?" he asked as Nebula's screaming increased. "You... you won't win... you really won't," he didn't know how he knew, he just felt like he did. "Mr. Stark is going to blow you to kingdom come," he said angrily. "I'm sure one day he will. I always knew a man like Stark would exist. I knew it the day he threw the nuclear missile into the portal and destroyed my army six years ago," Peter frowned at that. "The Stones. You have Power, Space, and Reality. I have Reality too... I don't know how... you succeeded in killing half of the universe. Your own daughter and myself included," he spat. "Then you must know that resistance is futile," for some reason he thought of Doctor Strange when he said that, but he guessed it was mostly because he wished the wizard would win against this guy. "But I was sent back. My memory at least. By Time and Reality. The Infinity Stones are people, man, people will awesome powers and you're probably the least of their concerns. They kept talking about consequences and how the bill would come due after they ran interference even though they're not supposed to. You're screwed either way and humanity will be restored," he said but the Mad-Titan simply stared at him.

  
Peter was glaring at him. "They will surely understand the mercy I am bestowing on humanity," he said. "No, otherwise they wouldn't have sent me back," he spat. "Time even said they're not supposed to hurt anything of existence," Thanos chuckled. "Then why did Ronan decimate most of Xandar's military with the Power Stone? Why did they destroy Ronan with the same Stone? Loki used the Space and Mind Stones to destroy and hurt others no differently. I am positive Reality has also harmed others. Either you were dreaming a vision or a magnificently strange dream, or you have gone insane yourself," Peter glared at him. "I won't tell you where the Stone is unless you let Gamora and Nebula go," he said bitterly. "Peter... don't..." she said. "Very well," he used the Space Stone to return Nebula's pieces to herself. "The Time Stone as well," he said. "I don't know how to remove it. They gave it to me, so obviously it wasn't a dream," he spat.

  
"The Stone, Peter," he said as he extended his hand. Peter grimaced as he put two fingers on the Stone. He did pull. He really did. Nothing happened. It wouldn't come off. "I grow tired of your games, insect," the Mad-Titan said. "Peter, just stop," Gamora pleaded. "Cut my arm off, then! It won't come off!" he said as he extended his arm. "Since you asked so nicely," Thanos said as he grabbed him by the arm, pulling him out of the room. "No!" Gamora yelled. "Give them a ship and get them out of my sight," he said to the minion who nodded rapidly.

  
He began to panic when he thought Thanos was going to actually cut his arm off. "Where is the Soul Stone? I'd rather we can avoid this confrontation," he said as he wielded the Reality Stone. "Not until Gamora and Nebula are gone and you won't use the Space or Reality Stone to get them back," he said. "Nebula will be useless otherwise," Thanos sneered as he threw him onto the steps in front of the throne. "Dude, people won't look at you like some kind of a god. That sunrise you're going to see? It's not going to be on a grateful universe. You're taking away loved ones and leaving a dude in the Quantum Realm," Thanos didn't say anything. "Mercy on a pitiful existence," Thanos said darkly. "No, you're delusional mindframe on innocent people," Peter retorted.

  
"I see Stark has had quite the influence on you. No matter. I believe we can settle this matter quickly and efficiently. I would also like to prove a theory as to whether or not the Stones are keeping you... _alive_ ," he growled that last word out before putting the Power Stone against Peter's head.

  
White hot, pure agonizing pain, worse than any migraine he's ever felt, practically exploded inside of his head and his entire figure. He wondered if he looked like he was having a seizure, because he felt as though his muscles were spasming out of his control. He was sure he was screaming and he felt as though the entire galaxy and even Aunt May on Earth could hear him. It felt like a nuclear bomb had exploded inside of his brain, and he was getting the up front result as well as aftershocks from it. He was sure tears were streaming down his cheeks and he gasped as he felt the Stone be removed from his head. He made a promise to never get on that guy's bad side.

  
"Where is the Soul Stone?" he asked. "Gamora and Nebula," he grit out, his head throbbing as though it had a heartbeat of its own that was currently running a marathon. "They are gone," Thanos said, obviously annoyed. He pushed the Power Stone to Peter's head again and he screamed out the answer. "VORMIR!"

  
The Mad-Titan pulled away again. "The Stone is on Vormir," Peter was shaking and stuttering. "Show me," he growled.

  
*****

  
Traveling via Space Stone wasn't so bad, Peter was just still in pain and still twitching from the Power Stone's wrath. "So even though you know two out of six of the Stones aren't okay with what you're doing, you're going to do it again?" Peter asked. "Two out of six. This is mercy. Using the Reality Stone to create more resources would only result in greed and ungratefulness. More than there already is," Thanos said idly as they walked along the path and Peter realized how cold it was on Vormir. It was snowing.

  
"What about Gamora? Don't you care that she died?" he asked, not going into details. "The hardest sacrifices must come from strongest wills," Thanos said. "No wonder they call you the _Mad_ -Titan," Peter muttered as a shadowy figure approached them. This guy reminded him of Darth Maul as he led them towards the top of the cliff, talking about how he too had sought the Infinity Stones and after he'd held one it had blasted him here. Peter could only guess that it was the Soul Stone. "Whose soul is already in there?" Peter asked and Thanos looked at him with curiosity.

  
The man was staring at him. "You are not of here," he said. "I'm from Earth. I'm Spider-Man," he said. "A soul for a soul. To truly understand the Soul Stone's power, you must sacrifice that which you love in order to possess it," he said and Thanos turned to Peter. "Dude, we just met like... twenty minutes ago," Peter said. "You knew I would sacrifice Gamora," Peter could tell the Titan was pissed. "I was mostly surprised you actually let them go," he admitted. "Does it have to be, that you love?" Peter was backing away. "The hardest sacrifices must come from the strongest wills. Yet even the strongest wills can be mistakenly bent. Not broken, but bent," he said. "You knew," Thanos growled. "Dude, can we just talk this out? Infinity Stones, man. They did this," he held out his wrist, showing the watch.

  
"Two of the same Stone... how...?" the shadow inquired. "And for a mortal to possess such an item with only simple attire..." he added. "Then they are as ungrateful to accept the mercy of which I am giving to their pitiful universe," he growled. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, dude. Time sees everything, doesn't he? Reality can do whatever she wants," he was panicking now. He didn't have a ship and he didn't know if Mr. Stark had installed anything in his suit to help him travel through Space. "Killing you will be another sacrifice and now... all I need to do... is find my daughter," he said with obvious disdain. "You can't call her your daughter if you're just going to kill her for power, man," he said. "Then we'll see if it really does work," Thanos said as he grabbed onto Peter's arm, the one without the watch, and threw him over the side of the cliff.

  
It felt like it was in slow motion and Peter felt as though he was being sucked, albeit slowly, into a vortex. It felt like hours, but was surely only minutes, maybe even seconds, before he felt pain flare up his back and slam into the back of his head and he was sure he felt sticky, wet warmth pooling around his head and sticking into his hair. It was at that very moment that Mr. Stark's face flashed in his mind, but it wasn't the normal cocky or even somewhat happy face. It was one of anger and resentment and fury. It was like watching a movie on replay inside of his head, where he saw Mr. Stark fighting against Thanos. It was at that moment that everything went black.


	5. Chapter Five: Battle of Wakanda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Does anyone else watch Steven Universe? Any favorite gems? Mine is Peridot

Chapter Five: Battle of Wakanda

  
Tony didn't panic often and he never showed it when he did. If anything were to happen to that kid... It would be his fault and he would never forgive himself for it. "Excuse me, but does your friend do that often?" he turned when the alien chick, Mantis, started talking to him. "Strange?" he asked as he saw the Sorcerer's face rapidly moving as he used the Time Stone. "Strange? You alright?" he asked after the Sorcerer slumped down. "I looked forward in time to see all possible outcomes after the kid and Gamora were taken," he was breathing heavily. "How many do we win?" Quill asked and a strange, no pun intended, look fell over the wizard's face.

  
"Thanos... he... he gets killed," Quill smirked and Drax looked happy. "Who dies along the way?" Tony asked the inevitable question. "That's the thing," he took the Eye of Agamatto into his hand. "I can't tell. It's only bits and pieces which has never happened before... All I see is a really big purple man standing over me. Bigger than Thanos. Almost like a giant and he steps on me. Then everything goes black," they were all frowning. "So you die? Can't you use the Doc Brown Stone to reverse it?" Tony asked. "I'm not seeing that. I've looked and I don't see it," he said. "Was the purple dude Thanos or someone else?" Quill asked and Strange grimaced. "I don't know," he said.

  
"Ok, so Gamora should be fine as long as neither of them tell the big raisin where the Soul Stone is. So he shouldn't get the Soul Stone and Gamora probably won't die," Tony said and Quill scowled. "Better not," he grit out. "How can there be more than one Stone existing at the same time when there are only supposed to be six?" Mantis asked curiously. "The Time Stone and the Reality Stone can probably do whatever the hell they want. So... can a Time Stone exist at the same period of time as he was before? A time traveling Time Stone?" Tony asked. "You're asking me? I've only used the Stone once to reverse time and trap an interdimensional demon in a time loop until he yielded. I haven't been able to figure it out entirely. It's... existence is as natural as its element but it feels like there's something inside of it. In fact a mind of its own," he said. "Great, so call him and tell him to get his jolly green ass out here and help us with this shit," Quill said. "I don't think it works like that," Strange admitted with a sigh.

  
None of them knew what to do. "Should we take the battle to his home planet?" Mantis asked. "Where he would surely have been waiting?" she asked. "That might've changed now since he probably knows that Squidward is dead seeing how we're fine," Tony said. "So now what? We wait?" Quill asked. "We might be able to get back to Wakanda if we take your ship and get back to Earth," Tony said and Quill stared at him. "The hell is a Wakanda?" he asked. "It's a place in Africa," he explained with annoyance. "Look, if anything happens to that kid Thanos is a dead Titan walking," he snapped. "And I thought my dad was a jackass," Quill retorted. "He's not my... shut up," Tony sighed.

  
"I received a transmission from Nebula. She told us to meet her on Earth in Wakanda, Africa," Mantis said. "Ok, they got out," Tony felt relief. "No, Nebula did. Was it Nebula's face and was Gamora with her?" Quill asked and Mantis nodded. "They are fine," she said hopefully. "Let's hope," Tony muttered.

  
Quill noted that arguing with Stark and Strange was worse than arguing with Rocket about who gets to drive and telling Groot to put the stupid videogame down. "I'm trying to figure out the controls. Sorry I think this might be useful if Earth ever needs it," Tony spat as he sat in Gamora's seat and Strange sat in Rocket's. "Why would such all powerful beings such as the physical manifestations of the Infinity Stones do such a thing if they are not meant to interfere?" Mantis asked. "The kid said that the Stone said that they weren't supposed to hurt living things. Probably us. And Thanos is using their Stones do exactly that. Probably pissed them off and they can't kill him themselves so they want us to do it," Tony said simply. His nerves were shot and his gut was clenching, not that he showed anyone that. If anything happened to that kid... He didn't think he would be able to look the kid's aunt in the eye and tell her that her nephew was dead or worse.

  
Quill couldn't help but also laugh when Strange looked ready to vomit after they had done a total of thirty five jumps to get back into the vicinity of Earth and Tony actually threw up into space. "Remind me to kill Thanos when this is over," Tony muttered as he cleaned his mouth. "I will kill Thanos, for Ovette and Camaria," Drax growled. "I think Gamora should be given that honor. Or Nebula," Quill said as an odd emotion swept over him.

  
"I haven't been here in over twenty years," he admitted. "Yeah, a lots changed. Women are sluttier and men are douchier," Tony said. " _Footloose_ is still the greatest movie ever right?" he asked. "The Kevin Bacon version or the crappy remake?" Tony asked. "The Kevin Bacon version," Quill said, wondering why anyone would be stupid enough to remake a movie. "It never was," Tony said and Quill pouted.

  
"Make it a straight shot into Wakanda, I think the king said it was hidden from the rest of the world though. Steve and Bruce might already be there," Tony said. The descent into Earth was not nearly as bad as he might've thought and the heat in Africa was unbearable. "I miss Missouri," Quill muttered as they saw the barrier for Wakanda being attacked by-- "Space dogs?" Tony asked as his mask formed over his face. "Are you sure you can even handle this, Stark?" Strange asked. "Rogers is the least of my concerns right now," and that was actually kinda true.

  
Quill and the men jumped from the ship and almost instantly whatever ones weren't trying to get into the barrier started attacking them. Mantis was firing the guns from the ship, taking out multiples at a time. "Good to see you, Tones," War Machine said as he fired missiles, blowing more away in the process. "Rhodey," Tony greeted before blowing up an entire group. "These are the space cadets," Tony introduced. "Better than the tree and the raccoon," Rhodey commented. "Yo! Rocket! Groot!" Quill shouted before blasting at Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian. "Where's your kid?" Rhodey asked as they entered the barrier, keeping the space mutts back.

  
"Is the green chick and the robot chick here?" Tony asked. "Gamora and Nebula, ain't the kid with you?" Rhodey asked and Tony felt a flash of panic and he was grateful the mask was on his face. "If he was, he'd be here, shit," Tony said angrily. "Where's Vision?" he asked. "In with the king's sister, she's gonna remove the Stone from his head and then Wanda's gonna destroy it," Tony shook his head. "Bad idea unless you wanna piss of a interdimensional all powerful Infinity Guardian," Rhodey was obviously confused.

  
"Long story short. The kid was sent back in time by the two Infinity Guardians of the two Stones, Time and Reality. He's got the two Stones and the big ugly raisin has Power, Space, and this timeline's reality," Tony explained as he flew towards Vision. "I don't think destroying it is going to work and I know that sounds batshit crazy but it's true," he said. "If you say so, man. Pepper's not going to happy," Tony grimaced. "Don't remind me," he said as he broke through the glass.

  
"Stark," Wanda greeted, though she was obviously surprised and angry. "Hey, you still gonna take that thing outta his head? Cause that is not a good idea. Why not reprogram him to work with the thing so he can do the thing Loki did with controlling minds?" Tony asked. "I told you that would be the better idea," Shuri said, her accent heavy with amusement. "Yeah, so let's do that instead of breaking the Stone cause that's just gonna piss a lotta people off. Wanda, on the field, please and thank you," Tony said before blasting another hole through the glass. "If someone can tell me where Gamora is that would be just dandy," Tony said as his missles fired out.

  
Gamora was standing next to Bucky and an actual raccoon that was standing on two legs, talking, and firing a gun. "How much for the gun?" the raccoon asked. "Not for sale," Bucky said. "Alright, how much for the arm?" he asked and Bucky gave him an odd look. "Oh, I'll get that arm," the raccoon promised. "Where's the kid?" Tony asked Gamora who looked shocked to see him. "He's not with you?" she asked before snapping the neck of one of the dogs and Tony felt scared of this woman. "He's supposed to be with you!" Tony snapped as he blasted more of the monsters.

  
"He didn't tell him where the Soul Stone is. He wouldn't have, it wouldn't have mattered," Gamora muttered quietly. "How does he get the Soul Stone and where is it?" Tony asked as Wanda joined in the fight. It took her, Natasha, and the Warrior chick to take down Proxima Midnight, though it was mostly Wanda's doing since she flung her into the giant wheel when he came spinning at them. "The Soul Stone is on Vormir and the kid said that he had killed me to get it and he succeeded," Gamora explained. "Okay, so the kid should be fine as long as the big purple bastard can't get the Stone out of the watch and can't get the watch off his arm," Tony said. "And if he removes the arm?" Nebula inquired as she stabbed one of the dogs in the throat, killing it instantly. "Great moral talk," Tony spat.

  
"WAKANDA FOREVER!" he heard the many voices of the Warriors and T'Challa yell out together as the battle raged on. Even Steve was getting his ass kicked. "Stark! These are my friends! The sweet rabbit and the tree!" Thor greeted. "New hair cut? New axe?" he asked. "Stormbreaker," Thor said as he struck over a dozen enemies with multiple lightning blasts. "No Spider-kid?" Steve asked. "Nice beard," Tony retorted. "Besides, I thought you'd be embarrassed," he lied.

  
Everyone turned, even the dogs and Cull Obsidian, the last of the Black Order, when a smoky portal, decked out in blue, appeared and Thanos walked out of it. "Lord Thanos," Cull Obsidian greeted with a bow.  
Thanos hadn't even a second to spare before Tony, and surprisingly Gamora, began attacking him. Firing and stabbing and slicing with everything they had. "Where is Peter?!" Gamora demanded. "The insect couldn't even obtain the Soul Stone properly," he said with a sneer and Tony's insides tensed up with fear. "You didn't..." it felt as though he had been punched in the gut. The wind was knocked out of him. "The Time Stone was unremovable. He will make a great addition to Vormir's ecosystem," Thanos said idly, as though he hadn't done something so unforgivable.

  
Tony was shaking, even the suit, and everyone who wasn't fighting one of the space dogs from Hell was watching them with fear, anguish, or anger. Mostly anticipation. "I suppose I will have to do it after all, little one," Thanos said with a sigh as tears began falling. "YOU DON'T GET TO CRY!" Gamora yelled out before releasing a battle cry. It didn't get her far, seeing how Tony flung her backwards. "If keeping you away from him keeps him from getting the Soul Stone! Keep away!" Tony yelled as Thor joined him in fighting. "I told you, you would die for that!" Thor yelled as he fired lightning blasts at the Mad-Titan.

  
He knew he would never be able to look May Parker in the eye again and that he would never be able to be the one to tell her that her nephew had died. He couldn't. Surely the Reality Stone, assuming they could get it off the big purple bastard, or even Strange's Time Stone would be able to fix what had happened but would it? If Peter had two Stones on his stupid watch, then would it work?

  
It was obvious that the kid hadn't been lying, but Tony didn't understand time travel. He hated _Back to the Future_ and all of the sequels. Time travel always got so damn confusing, especially with crappy sequels. He also barely understood how the Stones could exist as people and probably sit on their asses for centuries, probably even millenia, while people everywhere in the universe they created suffered.

  
He hoped the reprogramming would work and had the mental image of using the space dogs against Thanos, watching them rip him apart piece by piece. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't be able to look May Parker in the eye. "I'm gonna need to borrow the Time Stone later," he told Doctor Strange who was already getting covered in blood. "For what?" the Sorcerer demanded as the number of monsters kept increasing. "The kid is... Thanos couldn't get the Soul Stone by... I need to bring somebody back," he said and Doctor Strange looked crestfallen. "Where is he?" he asked. "Some place called Vormir," Tony answered.

  
Suddenly, everything stopped. Every remaining dog keeled over, literally. They fell to the ground, deader than doornails. Cull Obsidian had been fired into the sky by Bruce, who still hadn't Hulked out, and storm clouds were brewing, only they weren't normal storm clouds. He didn't know about the Wakanda weather channel, but he did know that storm clouds were not supposed to be purple and orange like that.  
The clouds were like a swarm of bees, forming together to make a force to be reckoned with. "What the hell?" he heard somebody say what they were all thinking. Even Thanos. The clouds suddenly took on form. They were taking the form of people. "Purple for power... what color is the Soul Stone?" Tony asked, unsure whether to be panicking or partying. Thanos was the enemy of the Infinity Stones. Not them. "Orange..." Gamora whispered. Lightning was crackling above their heads and even Thor stopped to stare.

  
Both colors formed into people, one was a dude and the other was a woman. Both were still enveloped inside the purple and orange smoke. "The Infinity Stones are people," Tony said. "What?" Steve asked with confusion. "Sorry if it kills your religious beliefs, but the Stones are people who created the universe," Doctor Strange said as he clutched the Eye of Agamatto in his hand tightly.

  
"Hey, if it's the Power and Soul Stones... does that mean they'll look like Thanos?" Quill asked as he dropped down. "The kid said they take the form of the person who held them last. Assuming the big ass arm doesn't count, they'll look like the other guy. If the kid is fine and has the Soul Stone, it would look like him," Quill was suddenly smirking. "A big purple me. Not nearly as handsome, but still," he said and Tony rolled his eyes.

  
Thunder roared over their heads and it didn't ease Tony's nerves that _Thor_ was looking _afraid_. Suddenly, the smoke disappeared, revealing the faces of the two people and Tony saw the purple Stone in the forehead of Power and the orange Stone in the forehead of Soul. The faces, however, made his heart drop into his stomach from both fear and confusion.

  
For Tony Stark and Gamora, it would be like looking into a mirror that changed your color. For Tony, his reflection would be purple, and Gamora, hers would be orange. The face of the Soul Stone was not even the kid as a woman. It was a giant orange Gamora whose expression was as grim as the Reaper's and sad as someone who lost somebody close to them. The face of the Power Stone was not even Quill's. It was a giant purple Tony whose expression was dark and filled with something Tony had often felt but had never showed. Hatred.


	6. Chapter Six: Hope

Chapter Six: Hope

 

"Lord Power... Lady Soul..." Thanos greeted and Power raised an eyebrow. "Thanos, son of A'lars. Father of Gamora and Nebula. I thought I already killed you," the voice was Tony's, but it was deeper and literally more powerful. Filled with nothing but disdain. The Mad-Titan blinked with surprise. "No matter. I suppose is _their_ way of retaliation," he said, spitting out the word as though it were poison on his tongue with a bitter taste.

  
Tony wasn't sure how tall Time and Reality had been when the kid had met them and had been given the watch, but he knew everyone was intimidated by the towering height of the two Stones. Quill and the Guardians noted that they were as tall as the Abilisk they had killed to protect the Anulax, or in Drax's case, Harbulary, batteries for the Sovereign.

  
"No matter, a small price to pay for salvation," Gamora wanted to laugh in Thanos's face at the expression he made. Thanos lifted his arm and closed his fist, emitting a wave of energy from the Power Stone and Tony's... Power's face contorted into fury. "You dare use my Stone against me, pitiful creature?!" nearly everyone had to cover their ears because of the energy from his voice alone.

  
Power snapped his fingers and Tony managed to vomit again. It was like watching an episode of _Supernatural_. Lucifer snapping his fingers and making Castiel explode. Castiel snapping his fingers and making Raphael explode. Blood splattered everywhere and the gauntlet fell to the ground. It splattered on the people closest to the Titan, which happened to be Strange, Nebula, and the tree, Groot. "I am Groot," he said and Rocket nodded his head. "That was nasty," he said as he drew his gun.

  
The two Stones were staring at them. "You have seen what I have done to the Titan, tell me which ones are the Avengers and the rest of you may have a change to live," the Stone said. "Can I just ask something...?" Tony came forward, his mask on. "Why do you look like brother Anthony?" Thor asked for him. "Brother Anthony... Stark..." Power stared at them, his face a mix of determination and resentment. "If Anthony Stark gets to kill Thanos using my Stone, why should I not be allowed to do it myself when the ti--" his expression morphed into a sad one and tears fell from Soul's eyes. "When the moment calls," he said.

  
"Ok... get that your angry and all at the bastard but I've never even... used your Stone, dude..." Tony said as his mask peeled back. "Anthony Stark," Soul muttered as she wiped her eyes. "Look, ok, you killed the problem. Can things go back to normal now? Can I have my kid back?" Tony asked, ignoring the looks he received. "You honestly think things will ever be normal?" Soul was getting angry, though she was still bordering a psychotic devastation. "You think things were ever normal?" she screeched. "You lost your kid! You cannot fathom how much we have mourned!" she cried. "Do they inherit personalities too?" Rocket asked and Gamora threw a rock at his head.

  
The orange Stone inside her forehead pulsed with energy and suddenly a wave of emotions swept through everyone except Vision, who was still only an android but with human emotions, and for some reason, Doctor Strange, Quill, Gamora, and Nebula. Everyone, even Tony and Thor, Rocket and Groot, started to cry. They felt Soul's power emit through them as their own emotions bubbled to the surface and overflowed. Some fell to their knees, others held onto themselves, and they all cried. "You deserve this. All of you. Ungrateful humans who use our Stones to hurt others and gain power," Soul said through her own anguish filled tears.

  
"What's going on?" Strange asked but nobody could answer. "If we use the Time Stone, we could use it to reverse what's happening," Vision said. "What if it resurrects Thanos?" Nebula asked. "A small price to pay," Doctor Strange said as he activated the Eye and the Stone. However, despite the energy that pulsed from the Stone, nothing was reversed and the only result he got was pissing off the two Stones. "I know that power... You dare to use his Stone when it is your fault he is gone!" Soul roared and everyone else was shaking through their tears, choking on sobs or screaming them out. "Stop using it, it is only going to infuriate them further," Nebula said. "It might be our only change against them," Vision countered. "Do you think you can defeat them?" Gamora asked.

  
A fallen expression fell over his face. "I might die trying, but I will try," he said as the Cloak levitated him into the air. Vision flew and fired a beam of energy from the Mind Stone and pure, raw, and untamed rage swept over Power's face.

  
The purple Stone exploded with energy and flung them back, creating more craters in the ground and sending dead bodies flying. Quill flew into the air and began firing at the two. "We're fighting two interdimensional, possibly all powerful, Infinity Stones and you're going to use guns to fight them?" Strange asked and Quill glared at him from behind his mask. "You gotta better idea, Wiz Kid?" he snapped as he thought about the risks they were taking.

  
These two were literally infinitely more powerful than they were, even if they did have two of the Stones. It would be even worse if the rest showed up and they weren't on good terms. He didn't know what the hell the Spider-kid was doing, if he was even still alive and still had the Stones, but he hoped something good would come out of this.

  
Ever since they had killed Ego he hadn't been able to use his powers, it didn't make him feel useless but he knew they would probably be a big help in this battle. What was more powerful? An Infinity Stone or a Celestial? Probably the Stone since they came first, or at least that's what the Collector had said, how they came first, but he thought of Yondu. "I don't use my head to control the arrow, boy. I use my heart," he said and he thought about the blue doofus. He missed him. Hell, he missed Kraglin. He thought of how everyone's lives were on the line. His own and those he cared about and even these Avengers. He thought about how he loved Gamora, how Rocket was like an annoying brother, Groot was like a rebellious child, Drax was like a... _special_ uncle, and Mantis was like that nerdy girl who wanted to fit in at high school.

  
He didn't even notice when he started flying without the rocket boots and he felt anger at the idea of these two big bastards taking away the people he cared about. He didn't realize there was a blue aura surrounding his fists or that he was flying towards Power's face. He almost didn't realize his fists made contact and was surprised to see the Stone go flying backwards a good twenty to thirty feet. Both Stones were surprised, but not nearly as much as Quill was. It also acted as a good distraction against Soul, since everyone stopped crying.

  
"Dude, you got your powers back?" Rocket asked and Quill couldn't answer. "Powers?" Soul asked before Vision shot her with another beam and she recoiled from it. "My own eternal partner, being used against me," she muttered angrily as she swatted Vision away with her hand as though he were nothing more than a fly.

  
Power stood back to his feet and Quill shot himself at the giant Stone again, though this time he was completely enveloped in the blue aura and caught in a giant fist. Purple eyes widened and they were filled with pure, unbidden rage. " _ **You**_ ," Tony never thought intimidation could've come so simply from just one word. It was like the Stone knew who Quill was, and wasn't happy to see him and that was just understating it.

  
Time, literally, seemed to freeze as the fist began closing around him. "NO!" Gamora cried out as the unmistakable sound of a sickening crunch of bones could be heard and blood splattered from inside the closed fist. "Quill..." Rocket said quietly with wide eyes. Power opened his fist and the body fell to the ground in a weightless heap, blood splattering the grass and staining the soil.

  
All of the Guardians, those closest to him, were frozen with shock. Suddenly the entire Stone was enveloped in purple and Tony recognized the circles as magic from Strange. "You dare use his power... when it is your fault..." the giant him growled as he began quarreling with Strange.

  
It stopped quickly when Strange flew backwards from a energy burst that wasn't even aimed. He slammed into the ground, leaving a crater as he did, and Power loomed over him. His foot, his actual foot, was surrounded by a purple smoke as he slowly but surely raised it before he slammed it down where Doctor Strange lay.

  
Tony felt like vomiting again, knowing that the Doc looked undoubtedbly like a flattened, bloody, and probably bony pancake. It didn't help that blood dripped from Power's foot when he lifted it up again. Nobody dared to look at the end result. "What is it that you are fighting for? Hope? Glory? Fame? Fortune? There is nothing left to fight for," Tony recognized the insecurities underneath the tone of the Infinity Stone's voice.

  
"Do you think it is an enjoyable feat to kill? Ego is more than deserving of death," the Stone said with a nonchalant shrug. "YOU KILLED !" Gamora roared as she charged the Stone. "Another one," the Stone closed his eyes before he opened them again, a glare in them. "How many do I have to kill before they are satisifed?" he growled before reeling his arm back, his hand closed in a fist, and smoke billowing around his arm as he made the punch. Tony wasn't sure if this was actually a battle they could win.

  
The kid's hopeful face popped into his thoughts, almost like a plague or a ghost. Haunting him and turning him ill. Even if Tony Stark died today, he would die knowing that he fought to the death. For his friends and family, for his planet, and for the kid. Because what kept him going was the kid, and the kid, that kid especially, gave him something he hadn't had in a long time. Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Ok, so Quill was because I watched the newest episode of Attack on Titan and I thought of Reiner and the Female-Titan while writing and then Doctor Strange was when Steven got stepped on by Yellow Diamond. Sorry if those are spoilers, and I rewatched Supernatural


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